VANCOUVER | The Canucks have said it many times in recent days: even if they are not the favorites to win against the Edmonton Oilers, they have no doubt about their chances of reaching the final of ballast. We’ll have to start believing them.
We wondered before the start of the series if the intensity would go up a notch in this all-Canadian series, due to the lack of history between the two teams. One thing is certain, if the series is like the first match, the spectacle will be worth the few hours of less sleep.
While almost everyone thought they were dead and buried, down 4-1 in the middle of the second period, the Canucks orchestrated a spectacular comeback thanks, in particular, to two goals in 39 seconds at the end of the third to save themselves with the first victory of the series.
The wind is turning
When Zach Hyman made it 4-1 Oilers in the second period, you could have heard a pin drop in Rogers Arena. The crowd, noisy from the opening moments of the game, cooled down quickly as the Canucks took a penalty for too many players on the ice after just 40 seconds, which allowed the Oilers to take the lead thanks to Hyman’s first .
But late in the second, a lucky goal from Elias Lindholm gave hope to both the Canucks and the crowd. JT Miller made it 4-3 midway through the third then Nikita Zadorov and Conor Garland scored 39 seconds apart late in the game to seal the victory for the Canucks.
All this, in front of the Oilers who were much less incisive than the team which had built a three-goal lead.
“We have to be better. The longer it went, the more momentum they gained and so did the crowd. We escaped but we remain positive. We have to win four,” put defender Vincent Desharnais into perspective after the match.
Do not panic
We could have expected a demoralized locker room, after this heartbreaking setback, on the Oilers side. On the contrary.
“It’s a little frustrating, it would be a lie to say that it’s not, but that’s what series are. We can learn from a situation like this. We started the season and we were last in the league, then we finished in the top 6-7. I don’t see why we couldn’t come back in a series we lost 1-0 […] If any team in the league has faced adversity this year, it’s us. I’m not too stressed that we’re going to come back,” added Desharnais.
Beaten five times on 24 shots, goalkeeper Stuart Skinner didn’t seem to lose morale either.
“I thought I had a good game until the third and, even then, I thought I made some good saves. However, I didn’t like the goal Garland scored against me. […] I lacked patience in this game and I got caught but I learned my lesson.”
Leon is magané
The Oilers had a scare in the second period when Draisaitl left with about eight minutes left in the period, without returning for the rest of the period. It’s difficult to identify the exact moment when Draisaitl was injured, but a seemingly innocuous contact with Tyler Myers while the Oilers center was in puck protection could be the cause.
The star player, however, returned to the game in the third period, without seeming completely comfortable and showing, on a few occasions, signs of frustration.
After the match, coach Kris Knoblauch played along, saying it was just “cramp and equipment issues.”
To be continued.
